Pura Vida! - closing thoughts

Costa rica pura vida

Day 47, flying over the costa rican rainforests, im on route to mi casa linda. Feeling recharged, and carrying a luggageful of memories, interesting anecdotes, and endearing lessons.

I think above all i feel so incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to immerse myself into the jungle for 7 weeks, as well as coming back with and even deeper appreciation of what and who is waiting for me back home: lots of love from my family and close friends, a sprinkle of unknown (facing the big UE again) aaaaand clean soft bed sheets and sketchy smell free towels.  Aaaah!

Tortuguero showed me that i am tougher than i thought, and taught me i have the capacity to adapt to a jungle lifestyle.  (bring it Survivor2012 haha). Dipped in with the creepily unknown, i did learn that an open mind, and corazon ligero allowed me to feel a less wrinkle-in-between my eyebrows nervous over my surroundings.  As Moby or Alexi Murdochs' genius artisty suggests, "just breathe."   it showed me that dangerous, rustic, uncomfortable, unknown and unpampering situations can also feel like home - ok ok,maybe a filthy scorpion filled home, but nonetheless a "honey im home!" feel, one that figuratively at the of the day foot massages me, pats me on the back, and greets me saying how was your day after after a long night patrol.  This part Possible only because of my fellow RAs/ aka jungle family. Delfina, Ani, Carolyn, Seh Ling, Borja, Andy, and Bjorn!  Dont think i wldbe survived without you!

Tortuguero taught me more about pacience - not just with the high commitment to relax over the impunctualities, but also while socratically trained to work sea turtles, forced to trust the sometimes frustrating' baby bird push out of nest process;' preserverance - on a daily basis facing the blindfolded night patrols perfecting the tagging methods, sometimes during vampire mosquitoe and sand flee attacks and tropical storms breaking the 7 second lightning to thunder rule; discipline - being a part of a team you are proud to equally contribute in and solidarily wake up and do our job fueled with merely 2-3 hours of sleep; and the happy easy going lessons: 
 giving into the pura vida way and  gozar del buen companerismo/ enjoying the comraderie we ' boa constructed ' (fyi: gozar and disfrutar is a muuuuch better word than flimsy 'enjoy').

I pride myself for being someone who is prepared, sometimes overly prepared, EXCEling itineraries with a handful of aproaches in order to maximize efficiency and proudly super pack my days. The  Pura vida way, as the night lava flow guide told Bill and I a few days ago about the arenal volcano in 1968, "came out and said hello," and seemed to clash with me almost imediately.  This thankfully changed.  And returning to the hustle and bustle US, i hope  i at least meet this feeling half way.  Maybe i can master the recipe for the tican coco loco and have that be my ticket back to lala land.

The turtles, similar to what i literally was trained to do, have marked me for life.  I feel a closer connection to nature, to the conservation process,  and priveledged to have been granted the one-on-one exchange with the turtle mamas and their hatchlings.  a deeper respect and awe over the selflessness, dedication, strife, trajectory, tenderness and care these prehistoric creatures  demonstrated- all of which i think serves as lessons to mankind.

This trip retraced/strengthened my theory that the unkown surprises, trips or unfortunate turn of events, not only become of the most imprtant/memorable/laughable  part of the adventure, they are character and strength builders.  And Im proud of my tortuguero battle wounds :).  

Buddhism related- during my dundee comfrontations, ive felt "in rhythm" with and protected by the universe.  A good karma builder.  Like this time and place is where i was meant to be, so anything that would happen, good or bad, would carry a reflect worthy experience.  I kind of felt like i was given a temporary pass from feeling the pressures of the enduring questions of humanity for singing up as  one of santas little helpers.  Felt good.  Ive always wanted and focused on somehow contributing to smiles, to the improvement of my surroundings... but i suppose the inyour faceness of this one granted me an in your face level eurakaness too.

I realize (as many a times during this daily discertationesque blog process) that im runningout of "space" to write in...  So i will close with saying thank you for reading my blog, and for virtually accompanying me on this tortuadventure.  I hope the wrinklefree lifestyle rubbed off not only on me, and that we can all get together, prop our feet up, be late for something, shrug our shoulders and say Pura Vida!